


Umbrellas and Parachutes

by HerbertBest



Series: Two Lonely People [7]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Conversations, Depression, Developing Relationship, Eating, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 15:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8019643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbertBest/pseuds/HerbertBest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holly wakes up, feelings leak out - wait, is this a date?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Umbrellas and Parachutes

She was aware of a warm hand rubbing her back. 

Her mind rejected the sudden notion that It was Ross. Ross was gone. She remembered that with a sudden, simple pulse of pain, like having a stone dropped on her foot. He had gone off with Barry to have fun, calling regularly but keeping his distance, normally so surefooted in their relationship, now afraid to send her crumbling with the wrong word.

She felt better, with a It was time to be strong. She fought back the arm to sit up and confront life.

“Holly? Y’wake?” She nodded. “ Do you want some tea?” Dan’s voice was soft, rusty, by her ear. She shook her head. “Is it okay if I make myself some?” She nodded. The mattress dipped and he excused himself, letting Holly alone to stare up at the ceiling. 

By the time he’d returned she’d taken a minimal shower and changed clothing. God, how long had he held her there? She’d felt disgusting before dunking herself. 

Dan smiled awkwardly as he sat back on the bed, pushing the box of Oreos he’d picked up in the kitchen in her direction. “Do you want to eat?” She shook her head again. He pouted. “Just a little, Holly? Please?”

She considered the food with a sigh. One Oreo was picked up from the pile and she nibbled on it disconsolately. Dan said nothing as he ate beside her, sipping tea. “Ross called a couple of hours ago. He’s doing okay, and he sounded scared. I promised I’d do anything to make you happy.”

That was a dangerous statement, but the most Dan one she’d ever heard. “I don’t know what to say to him,” she admitted. “It’s just almost too much to deal with.”

Dan sat back on the bed. “I’m sorry. Keep making it worse, don’t I?”

“None of this is your fault.” Completely true. She’d sucked him into her problems in a desperate attempt at making herself feel better, wanted, lusted after. Look what it had gotten her; a confusing mess.

“I could’ve said no,” he said agreeably enough. 

“Don’t you have someplace you’d rather be right now?”

He shook his head. “There’s nowhere in the world I’d rather be.”

“Oh,” she said softly. 

“I was lonely at home, anyway. It kind of sucked, but I didn’t feel like getting out of the house until Ross called.”

“Really? I thought you’d be out.” 

He shook his head. “Everyone’s busy for the weekend. And it’s weird now.” 

“Being famous?”

He shook his head. “The attention. It’s almost…”

“Too much?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “Is it weird for me to freak out about? I’ve told my psychiatrist and she said I have a hard time accepting success.” He laughed at the idea. “Nobody likes unhappy Dan, not even my fuckin’ therapist. So what kind of total dick do I sound like, Hol?”

“A reasonable one. It’s a lot to take at once. But…I kinda feel like there’s a but in there somewhere?”

He nodded, “but,” Dan said, swallowing thickly, “I look at Brian. He’s so happy, Holly. He can’t wait to come home to Rachel and his girl. And me? I come home to my phone.”

She scooted closer, slid the cookies to the side, and kissed the side of his throat. “I guess I can be better company than a phone.”

He let out a short laugh. Her comment had helped turned his emotional tide. “If Ross doesn’t want to hang out with you, I’ll do it. Do it as long as you want me to.” He shook his head at the entandre. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.

She gave him a half-smile. “Wanna go see a movie?”

He gave her real grin back. “Seen Suicide Squad yet?”

“How about Kubo?”

“Yeah,” Dan said. “That sounds like fun.” He reached for his jacket, and without further thought they moved toward the front door.


End file.
